Thursday 2 August 2018 17:03, UK
England head coach Eddie Jones has included Chris Ashton in his 44-man training squad ahead of the new season.
Ashton has been selected after returning to English rugby with Sale Sharks following a season at French side Toulon.
The 31-year-old, who has scored 19 tries in 39 Tests for England, last played international rugby in 2014.
"Chris is an exceptional player, I think we have seen with his form at Saracens, then at Toulon he has played exceedingly well," said Jones.
"He's come back to England because he wants to play for England so he has got the right desire, the right attitude so it will be good to work with him."
Dylan Hartley is also named in the squad as he continues to work his way back to full fitness after missing the end of last season due to concussion.
Hartley missed England's series defeat in South Africa in June with Owen Farrell standing in as captain in his absence.
The only players who were involved against the Springboks not present this weekend are flanker Brad Shields, wing Denny Solomona and No 8 Billy Vunipola, who was forced home with a recurrence of a fractured arm.
Among those still missing due to "injury, fitness or other" are prop Dan Cole, lock George Kruis, scrum-half Danny Care, centres Jonathan Joseph and Manu Tuilagi, and full-back Anthony Watson.
England coaches will have a chance to look at a number of new faces.
Saracens' South African flanker Michael Rhodes is among a contingent of uncapped players included after qualifying for England on residency grounds.
Also included are Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins), Joel Kpoku (Saracens) and Jordan Olowofela (Leicester Tigers). Each of those three featured for England in the recent World Rugby U20 Championship in France.
Jones said: "It is an opportunity for them to show us what they have got. We have identified those guys who can potentially play for England in the future so this is a great opportunity for them.
"We have one day of training at this camp, a September camp, then a week before the South Africa game so every minute counts. We want to make sure we use every minute as productively as we can so that is the target of the camp."
The squad will meet at the Lensbury Hotel on Saturday and remain together until Monday.
England's next training camp will be held on Sunday, September 23 until Tuesday, September 25 in Bristol before joining up on Wednesday 24 October to prepare for the Quilter Internationals in November.
England will play four matches in the upcoming Quilter Internationals against South Africa (3 November), New Zealand (10 November), Japan (17 November) and Australia (24 November).
Each of those games will kick off at 3pm and be shown live on Sky Sports.
England's 44-man training squad
Backs: Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Cipriani (Gloucester Rugby), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Nathan Earle (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Joe Marchant (Harlequins), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jordan Olowofela (Leicester Tigers), Dan Robson (Wasps), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Spencer (Saracens), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Forwards: Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Northampton Saints), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Paul Hill (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joel Kpoku (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Michael Rhodes (Saracens), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Jack Singleton (Worcester Warriors), Will Spencer (Leicester Tigers), Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
